"And help people who really need it, get the hospital care they need."

Image:Mr Hancock says the money will get people 'back home, back into their communities'

The government says its measures will include action to reduce long stays in hospital, expand same day emergency care, and improve access to primary care with an additional nine million GP appointments a year.

The Department of Health says it is also taking action to reduce ambulances conveying patients to hospital, through increased "hear and treat" and "see and treat" services.

Attacking Mr Hancock's announcement, Labour's Barbara Keeley said: "There is a severe crisis in social care caused by eight years of Tory austerity, and tinkering at the edges like this is not going to solve it.

"With 400,000 fewer people receiving care under this government than in 2010, funding such a small number of care packages is a drop in the ocean."